Once built, the hybrid solar energy and conservation area will be the first of its kind in Miami’s history.
Unlike many other solar generating fields off-campus, the Sharon and Graham Mitchell Sustainability Park, will see an intertwining of gardens and walkways weaving through a series of solar panels generating renewable energy for the campus and lowering its energy costs, said school officials during a Tuesday unveiling ceremony.
Miami University President Gregory Crawford told an audience of more than 100 Tuesday the project is “transformative” and will further the school’s many efforts in recent years to wean itself off of its reliance on fossil fuels for its energy.
“This is a transformative gift,” said Crawford in praising the Mitchells for their donation. “And a very exciting time.
The coming solar park, which will be near the SR 73 entrance to the Oxford campus in a now open field near to Young and Hillcrest residence halls on the Western Campus and in proximity to the school’s geothermal energy plant.
The solar park will also be tied into Miami’s campus-wide, geo-thermal heating and cooling system, which is currently seeing an expansion project around Millet Hall on north campus.
Graham and Sharon Janosik Mitchell met as chemistry students on campus and are both 1973 graduates and each have a long history of supporting environmental projects.
Sharon is a retired Procter & Gamble vice president and her husband worked for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for nearly three decades and then a board member for the Ohio Environmental Council where he earned the state’s award of “Conservationist of the Year.”
“We were inspired to work with Miami on its expansion of its sustainable energy program by adding solar to its strong geo-thermal it already has,” she said.
“When we heard President Crawford declare that Miami is committed to carbon net neutrality by 2040, and we heard him talk about Miami’s approach to get there by changing our own campus space – not buying carbon credits, well, it aligned perfectly with the change we want to be,” she said.
“It is so exciting and we are thrilled and honored to be part of it.”
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